1 Chronicles 25: The Temple Musicians
The sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun are set apart to prophesy with harps and cymbals, leading God's people in skilled, Spirit-filled praise.
1 Chronicles 25 (WEB)
1 Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:
2 of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king.
3 Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh.
4 Of Heman; the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.
5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the hands of their father for song in Yahweh’s house, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of God’s house; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.
7 The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to Yahweh, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight.
8 They cast lots for their offices, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
9 Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brothers and sons were twelve:
10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
11 the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
14 the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
20 for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
21 for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
22 for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
23 for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
24 for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
25 for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
26 for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
27 for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
28 for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
29 for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
30 for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve:
31 for the four and twentieth to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.
1 Chronicles 25 (KJV)
1 Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
2 Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.
3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord.
4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti–ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:
5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.
7 So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.
8 And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:
10 The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
30 The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
31 The four and twentieth to Romamti–ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.
1 Chronicles 25 (ASV)
1 Moreover David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of them that did the work according to their service was:
2 of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king.
3 Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Jehovah.
4 Of Heman; the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.
5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.
7 And the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in singing unto Jehovah, even all that were skilful, was two hundred fourscore and eight.
8 And they cast lots for their offices, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brethren and sons were twelve:
10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
11 the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
14 the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
20 for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
21 for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
22 for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
23 for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
24 for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
25 for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
26 for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
27 for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
28 for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
29 for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
30 for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
31 for the four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.
Summary
Here David and the army captains set apart the temple's musicians, the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who are to prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. Their music is no mere performance; it is described as prophesying, giving thanks, and praising the Lord, a ministry of the word in song. Asaph's sons play under their father, who prophesies under the king's direction; Jeduthun's sons give thanks and praise with the harp; and Heman, called the king's seer, is given fourteen sons and three daughters as God's gift, to lift up the horn in praise. Two hundred eighty-eight skilled singers, instructed in singing to the Lord, lead the worship, joined by their wider families. As with the priests, their order of service is settled by lot, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the student, treated alike. Twenty-four groups of twelve emerge, each headed by a named leader. The chapter reveals that God cares about beauty, skill, and devotion in worship, that praise carries his truth to the people, and that music is a serious, set-apart calling in the life of God's house.
Key Figures
- Asaph — A chief musician whose sons prophesy with instruments under the king's order, and whose name is attached to many of the Psalms.
- Heman — The king's seer, given fourteen sons and three daughters by God, who leads in lifting up the horn of praise.
- Jeduthun — A leader of musicians whose sons give thanks and praise the Lord with the harp under their father's direction.
- David — The king who, with the army captains, sets apart the musicians for the service of song in the house of God.
Key Verse
1 Chronicles 25:1 (WEB)
Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:
Lessons Learned
- Music in worship is a sacred calling, not mere entertainment (1 Chronicles 25:1).
- Praise can carry God's truth to his people, a kind of prophesying in song (1 Chronicles 25:3).
- God values skill and training offered to him in worship (1 Chronicles 25:7).
- Children and family can be received as gifts from God for his service (1 Chronicles 25:5).
- In God's house the teacher and the student, the great and the small, serve as equals (1 Chronicles 25:8).
- Praise is a set-apart ministry. David "set apart for the service" musicians "who should prophesy with harps... and with cymbals" (1 Chronicles 25:1, WEB).
- Worship music proclaims God's truth. Jeduthun's sons "prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh," so the song carried his word (1 Chronicles 25:3, WEB).
- Skill is an offering to God. The two hundred eighty-eight were "instructed in singing to Yahweh, even all who were skillful," giving their best (1 Chronicles 25:7, WEB).
- Children are a heritage for the Lord's service. "God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters" to lift up praise (1 Chronicles 25:5, WEB).
- Worship levels human distinctions. They cast lots "all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar" (1 Chronicles 25:8, WEB).
- What does it mean that the musicians were said to "prophesy" with their instruments and songs?
- Why do you think God cared about skill and training in those who led worship?
- Heman's children are described as God's gift for praise. How might we view our families as part of God's service?
- The teacher and student were treated as equals in casting lots. What does this say about status in worship?
- How might you offer your own gifts, whether in music or another area, more intentionally as worship to God?
- Their music carried God's truth, stirred faith, and ministered his word to the people. Worship songs at their best are not background noise but a means of proclaiming and remembering God's character.
- Skill offered to God honors him as worthy of our best. This is not perfectionism but devotion; help the group see that excellence in worship flows from love, not pride.
- Heman received his many children as a gift to be devoted to praising God. Encourage parents and families to see their households as places where worship and service are nurtured.
- Worship flattens the hierarchies we cling to; all serve the same Lord. Let the group reflect on how status fades when we stand together before God in praise.
- A gentle application question. Invite people to name a gift, however ordinary, and consider offering it deliberately to God as an act of worship this week.